U 9 Weddigen

original title:
U 9 Weddigen
other titles:
Ein Heldenschicksal aus vergangenen Tagen, A Heroic Fate of Past Days
country / year of production:
Germany / 1927
original length:
2448 mtr. , black/white
premiere:
5 May 1927, Schauburg, Berlin.
genre:
melodrama
based on:
director:
Heinz Paul
film script:
Willy Rath
producer:
cinematographer:
Willy Goldberger
editor:
composer:
cast (role):
Carl de Vogt , Mathilde Sussin , Fred Solm , Fritz Alberti , Gerd Briese
more:
plot synopsis:
Dramatized recontruction of U 9`s mission of September 22nd 1914 under the command of Lt. Cap. Weddingen, who sank the three British cruisers "Aboukir", "Hogue", and "Cressy". Weddingen was awarded the Pour le Mérite by the Kaiser.
keywords:
submarine , silent movie , propaganda , sea-battle
war:
First World War (1914-1918)
literature:
Bernadette Kester. Filmfront Weimar. Representaties van de Eerste Wereldoorlog in Duitse filme uit de Weimar periode (1919-1933). Hilversum: Verloren, 1998.
remarks:
First cooperation of director Heinz Paulk and actor Carl de Vogt.

Weddinge`s "success" was only possible because at that time the submarines` capabilities were greatly underestimated as they were considered to be merely a means of reconnaissance. When first two ships were sunk, the British thought they had hit mines but never considered immediate enemy contact. As the survivors of the these two ships had been taken on board the "Cressy", more than 2.000 seamen drowned when she was also hit by a torpedo.
availability: